Corn-planter.



W. BROWNING.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1914.

1,15?,501; Patented 001. 19, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET W. BROWNiNG.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 5. 1914.

1,157,501. Patented 001. 19, 1915.

2 SHEES-SHEET 2.

ATTORNEYS nn .ar

WOIODSON BROWNING, F OKLAHOMA, OKLAHOMA.

CORN-PLANTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Unt.. 19, 1191.5.

Application led September 5,1914. Serial No. 860,394..

fication.

My invention is an improvement in cornl Y planters, and has for its object to provide a planter of the check rower type, wherein the dropping mechanism is actuated 'from the wheels of the machine to drop a series of grains at regular intervals, and wherein other mechanism is provided for marking each hill planted.

In the drawings z-Figure l is a top plan view of the improved planter, Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows adjacent to the line, Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, Fig. 4l is a top plan view of the dropping plate, and Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

rlhe present embodiment of the invention comprises a main frame, consisting of a yokeshaped member, composed of a body l and arms 2, extending laterally from the body and approximately parallel with each other, and a seat 3 is connected to the body 1 by means of a spring plate 4e. An axle 5 is journaled transversely of the arms 2, intermediate the ends thereof, and wheels 6 are secured to the ends of the axle, the wheels having the usual concave peripheries as shown. Cleaning blades 7 are arranged adjacent to the wheels in rear thereof, the

blades being connected to the ends of a shaftV 8, which is journaled transversely of the arms 2 near the body 1. The free edges of the blades are shaped to fit the concave peripheries of the wheels, and the said blades may be brought into and out of operative position by means of a lever 9, securedto the shaft at one of the arms 2, and having latch mechanism coperating with a toothed sector 10, secured to the said arm. When the lever is released from the sector, the shaft may be oscillated to bring the blades 7 into the position of Fig. 1, in which position they will clean the dirt that may adhere tothe wheels or they may be brought into inoperative position. A sprocket wheel 1l is journaled loosely on the axlevbetween the arms 2, and the hub 13 of the said sprocket wheel carries one section of a clutch. rlhe other section 12 of the clutch is splined or feathered to the axle, and the said section may be moved toward and from the hub of the sprocket wheel by means of the lever 14e. The said lever is pivoted at 15 intermediate its ends to a bracket arm 16, extending inwardly from one of the arms 2, and the Y lever is forked at the end adjacent to the section 12 of the clutch, the arms 17 of the fork engaging an annular groove in the said section. The lever is provided with the usual latch mechanism 18, which cooperates with a toothed sector 19, secured to the bracket arm 16. ltt will be obvious that when the lever is released from the sector, the movable sect tion l2 of the clutch may be moved toward and from the fixed vsection to couple the sprocket wheel to the axle orto disconnect it therefrom.

A plate is arranged transversely of the frame at the front ends of the arms 2, and the said plate extends beyond the arms at each end, of the plate. A tongue 21 is connected to the plate at the center thereof, and the said tongue is braced against the plate at each side by means of inclined braces 22. Each of the said braces is secured to the tongue at one end, and the plate at the other, the connection with the plate being at the connection of the plate with the arms 2.

rlhe usual seed boxes or containers 23 are arranged at the ends of the plate 20, and a runner or furrow opener 24e is arranged bolow each of the seed boxes. rhe runners are of usual construction, being of consider able width at their rear ends, and pointed at their front ends,and having their front ends turned upward in the usual manner, and the front end of each runner is connected to the adjacent seed box by means of an inclined brace rod 2o. The front end of each brace rod is forked and the arms of the fork are pivoted to the runner as indicated at 25a, and the other end of each rod is connected to the seed box in the usual manner.

A shaft 26 is journaled in vertical position at approximately the center of the plate 20, and a disk 27 is secured to the shaft. The disk is provided with a series of teeth, the said series extending over approximately one-fourth the periphery of the disk, and the teeth mesh with other teeth 28 on the adjacent face of a. sprocket wheel 29, which is secured to a stub shaft 30 supported by the 'ill D cent seed box 23.

plate 20;in bearings 31 on the said plate. A pair of links 32 is connected with the disk, each link being pivoted to the disk at one end of the link as indicated at 33, and each link is pro-vided at its outer end with a catch or hook 34. rlhe links are connected to the disk 27 at diametrically opposite points, and each link extends outward toward the adj a- Each hook or catch is adapted to engage teeth 35 on the periphery of a dropping plate 36, each of the said plates being arranged below the adjacent seed box. 1t will be noted from an inspection of Fig. 4 that each of the dropping plates has a recess 36a'on its upper face, in which is seated the lower end of the adjacent seed box. Each disk is also provided with a central opening 35 of polygonal outlineand with an annular series of dropping openings 34a between the opening 35a and the periphery of the recess 36.

f sprocket chain 11a. so that when the sprocketv Each seed box has an opening 23a'in its bottom, and the said opening is at the lowest point of the bottom so that if there is anyy grain in the said box it will move to the opening 23a. The opening 230L of each seed box is so arranged with respect to the l seed .box that the openings 34a of the dropping plate 36 will register in succession with the said opening 23a when the dropping plate is rotated in a manner to be presently described.

The hook or catch 34 of each link 32 is as before stated. arranged to engage the teeth of the adjacent seedplate in succession, and a coil spring 37 is arranged between each link and the adjacent edge of the plate 20 to hold the link in such position that the catch or hook 34 will engage the teeth. T he sprocket wheel 29 is rotated fromthe sprocket wheel 11. b v means of a wheel 11 is rotated the sprocket wheel 29 Vwill be rotated therewith. rIhe teeth 28 extend Vover an arc of 90 on the face vof the sprocket wheel 29. and it will be evident that when the said teeth are in engagement with the teeth of the disk 27 the disk 27 will be moved vwith the disk 29 until the teeth E23 disengagev from the teeth of the disk. The arrangement is such that the disk Y 27 willloe given a ouarter turn at each complete rotation of the sprocket wheel 29. Plate springs 38 are provided for returning theidisk 27 and the shaft 26 to original Vposition after the said disk has been partiallv rotated lov the sprocket wheel 29, and each of the said springs is pivoted to the upper face of the tongue. Stops 38a are arranged cn the tongue for engagement by tbe springs to limit their movement in one direction. As soon as the teeth 28 release the teeth of the disk 27. these springs 38 will immediately return the disk 27 and theV shaft 26 to the normal positionshown in Fig. 1. The-disk 27 is rotated just sufficient to move each dropping plate a distance of one tooth. Each of thesaid plates is provided with four teeth, and at each movement of the disk 26, both dropping plates are given a quarter turn. The teeth are so arranged with respect to the openings 34 and with respect to the openings 23a that the dropping plate will stop always with the opening 34a out of register with the opening 23Il of the adjacent seed box.

A cam wheel 39 is journaled on the plate 20 between each seed box and the shaft 26, the said cam wheels being j ournaled on bolts 39a, connected to the plate. Each cam wheel is provided with four cams on its upper face, and with four cams or teeth on its peripheral surface. The cams 40 on the upper faces of the cam wheels are similarly arranged, and the teeth or cams 41a on the periphery of the cam wheels are designed for engagement by pawls 40 pivoted to the links 32. Each of the said pawls 40 is pivoted to the adjacent link 32 intermediate the ends of the pawl, and one end of the pawl is in position to engage the teeth 41 of the adjacent cam wheel. A stop 41 is arranged on the link adjacent to each pawl to limit the outward swinging of the end of the pawl adjacent to the cam wheel, and a Coil spring 42 is arranged between the outer end of each pawl and the link, the spring acting normally to hold the pawl in engagement with the stop 41. The spring 37 of each link also acts to hold the link with the catch or hook 34 in engagement with the teeth 35, and with the pawl 40 in engagement with the teeth 41 of the cam wheel 39. Whenever the disk 27 is oscillated a quarter turn as above described, each seed plate 36 will be advanced a quarter turn, and the cam wheel 39 will also be advanced a quarter turn.

A casing is arranged below each seed plate, and between the same and the adjacent runner 24, and a shaft 51 is journaled in each casing at the axis thereof. The lower end of each shaft is journaled in the top 52 of the runner, which is also the bottom of the easing 50, and the upper end of the shaft is souared as indicated at 53.y and is received within the square opening 35 of the seed plate. Each shaft 51 is provided with four radial longitudinallv extending vanes 54, the said vanes extending from the under face of the seed plate to the upper face of the top 52 of the runner, and from the shaft to near the periphery of the casing. The top 52 of the runner above mentioned. is provided with an opening 55 at the front of the casing 50, for permitting the seed to pass from the casing 50 into the runner.

A plunger 43 is arranged adi acent to each seed boxA for indicating the position of the 

